Jumping shoes



G. PIERCE JUMPING SHOES June 18, 1968 Filed Sept. 1, 1966 IN vmvroe Geob rge Pierre 9 %""P '6 @2321 United States Patent 3,388,485 JUMPINGSHOES George Pierce, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Rapaport Brothers, Inc.,a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 576,742 3Claims. (Cl. 36--7.8)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A jumping shoe having a base member and afoot support member with coil springs therebetween at the toe and heel,and stabilizing means which permits relative highwise movement betweenthe base member and the support member but prevents sidewise movement ofthe foot support member relative to the base member. The stabilizingmeans consists of two angular members, of the same width as the base andsupport members, hinged to each other at one end and to the base andsupport members, respectively, at the other ends.

This invention relates to improvements in jumping shoes.

Jumping shoes have been on the market for a considerable period of timeand they generally comprise a base member and a foot support memberspaced from each other and connected by a pair of coil springs. It hasbeen found that many children have a tendency to twist their ankles andotherwise injure themselves when using such jumping shoes, due to thefact that such devices do not have means which would prevent a side swayor buckling of the ankles. Additionally, such jumping shoes lack theability to provide an even and smooth ump. 1 The foregoing disadvantagesare eliminated with the present invention in which a stabilizing memberis provided between the base member and the foot support member so thatwhile there is relative movement between the foot support member and thebase member to permit necessary springing action, the foot supportmember is controlled so that there is no sidewise pivoting or swayingfrom side to side. This does not impede the jumping qualities of theshoes. With this invention there is eliminated the incidence ofaccidents and injuries which normally attended the use of jumping shoes.

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the jumping shoe forming this invention.

FIG. 2 is a view taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the stabilizing member, and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view showing particularly the stabilizingmember.

The jumping shoe forming this invention is indicated generally by thenumeral and same comprises generally a base member 12, a foot supportmember 14, a pair of coil springs 16 positioned between the base andfoot support members and secured thereto, and a stabilizing memberdesignated generally by the numeral 18. The stabilizing member 18 is theprincipal feature of this invention.

The base member 12 and the foot support member 14 have generally thesame planar shape, as best seen in FIG. 2, and are formed preferably ofmetal. The base member 12 has a continuous upwardly extending flange 20.The base member is also provided with a plurality of spaced struck-outears 22 at the front and at the rear to which the coil springs 16 areanchored. The opposite sides 24 of the base member are generallystraight 'ice but incline inwardly toward the heel portion 26 which isrounded. The front portion 27 of the base converges to a central point.Spaced longitudinally extending ribs, not shown, are formed in the basefor rigidity. A plurality of spaced rubber members 28 are secured to thebase member by suitable fastening elements. These members form feet onwhich the base rests on any surface.

The pair of spaced spiral coil springs 16 are secured to the base memberby the cars 22 and by additional brackets 30 which are secured to thebase member by suitable fastening rivets 32 or the like. The upper platewhich is the foot support member 14 has a downwardly extendingcontinuous flange 34 with the rear generally rounded and the fronttapered or spear-shaped. The flange 34 is widened for a portion of thelength to accommodate an elongated slot 36 along each of the adjacentsides to receive a strap 38 which is used to secure the front of theshoe or foot.

The upper plate or shoe support member is also provided with a pluralityof punched-out spaced ears, similar to cars 22, which are intended toengage the upper convolution of the spiral springs 16. Brackets, similarto brackets 30 on the base member, are also fastened to the upper plate14 for the purpose of completing the anchoring of the upper ends of thesprings 16 to the upper plate or foot support member 14.

The foot support member 14 is provided with a plurality of spacedlongitudinally extending ribs formed from the material for rigidity. Thespaced rear ribs 40 serve as guides for the adjustable heel member, tobe described. The upper plate 14 is provided with a centrally positionedlongitudinally extending slot 42 adjacent the heel portion of the plate14.

A metal heel support, designated generally by the numeral 44 issupported on the upper plate 14 and same is capable of longitudinaladjustment. The heel support member 44 comprises a base portion 46 andan upwardly extending arcuate-shaped rear wall 48, the opposite ends ofwhich are slotted as at 50 to receive the ankle strap 52 which isintended to fit around the ankle of the wearer. The base portion 46 ofthe heel support member is provided with longitudinally extendingrecesses 54 which are intended to aline with the rear ribs 40 on theupper plate 14. The base portion of the heel support has an openingthrough which extends a threaded bolt 56. The threaded bolt 56 alsoextends through the slot 42. A wing nut 57 is secured to said threadedbolt to lock the heel support in its adjusted position. The adjustableheel support permits shoes of different sizes to be supported on saidsupport plate or member 14.

The stabilizing unit generally indicated by the numeral 18 comprises apair of members generally indicated at 60 and 62 which are hinged toeach other and to the base and foot support members respectively. Theyare made preferably of metal. The upper member 60 of the stabilizingunit has welded to it as at 61 adjacent its upper edge a hinge strip 63which has a plurality of spaced ears 64 extending beyond the edge of theupper member 60. A hinge strip 66 is secured by suitable rivets 68 tothe underside of the upper plate 14 and said hinge strip 66 hasforwardly extending ears 70 spaced complementary to the ears 64 on hingestrip 63. A pin 72 extends between and connects the cars 64 and 70 toprovide a hinging connection between the member 60 and the foot supportmember 14.

The upper member 60 has its lower end bent at an angle as at 74 andwelded to said angular portion as at 75 is a hinge strip 76 havingspaced hinge ears 77.

The lower member 62 of the stabilizing unit 18 is shaped similarly tothe upper member 60 and hence will not be described in detail. A hingestrip 80 is secured by rivets 81 to the inside of the base member 12 andsaid strip has a plurality of spaced forwardly extending ears 82.Secured by welding 83, or the like, to the lower portion of member 62 isa hinge strip 84 which has a plurality of forwardly extending ears 85spaced alternately to the ears 82. A pin 86 extends through the ears 82and 8-5 to hingedly connect the lower member 62 to the base member 12.Secured to the upper angular portion of the lower member 62, as bywelding, is a hinge strip 88 which has forwardly extending spaced ears89 to interfit with the ears 77 on the upper member 60. A pin 90 extendsbetween the spaced ears 77 and 89 to hingedly connect the two members 60and 62. The two members form a generally U-shaped configurationpositioned sidewise.

The two hinging members 60 and 62 of the stabilizing unit 18 each have awidth substantially equal to the width of the base member 12 of the footsupport member 14 to which they are each respectively connected. Inother words, the stabilizing unit 18 extends transversely substantiallythe entire width between members 12 and 14. The stabilizer will notinterfere with the springiness or movement of the food support member 14relative to the base member 12 as the hinging connections of thestabilizer unit permit the relative movement. The jumping action is notaffected. However, the side sway movement of the upper member 14relative to the base 12 which is prevalent in the prior art devices iseliminated and all lateral sway or vertical disalinement of the upperfoot support member 14 relative to the base member 12 is eliminated. Theupper foot support member 14 may pivot forwardly and rearwardly butalways remains in vertical alinement with the base member and cannotshift laterally with respect to the base. Thus, there is no possibilityof twisting the ankle as there is no possibility of any side sway orsidewise movement. The child is provided with a firm support and is ableto jump in a more even manner with safety and without injury to himself.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be madefrom the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A jumping shoe including a base member, a foot support member andspring means between said base member and foot support member,stabilizing means extending between said base and foot support members,said stabilizing means permitting relative movement between said footsupport member and base member but preventing sideway movement of saidfoot support member relative to said base member, said stabilizing meansincluding an upper and lower member hinged together and each alsorespectively hinged to the foot support member and to the base member,said upper and lower members of said stabilizing means extendingtransversely between the base member and the foot support member and inwhich each of said upper and lower members has a width substantiallythat of the member to which it is respectively connected.

2. A jumping shoe defined in claim 1 in which the upper and lowermembers are each substantially of the same shape and configuration andeach has an angular portion.

3. A jumping shoe defined in claim 1 in which the foot support memberhas an adjustable heel support member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,613,538 1/1927 Schad 367.82,475,092 7/1949 Harrell 36-7.8

FOREIGN PATENTS 946,494 12/1948 France. 485,039 10/1929 Germany.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

